Big sports weekend means program changes on FOX 17

FOX 17 – The FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament begins Thursday, as does the U.S. Open golf tournament, and with both major sporting events on Fox, regularly scheduled programming will be altered for the next several days.

First, the World Cup opens with FIFA World Cup Live Thursday at 10:00 a.m., followed by Russia taking on Saudi Arabia at 11:00 a.m. FOX 17 News Midday will air on THIS-TV, which is 17.3 on your over-the-air antenna, channels 7 and 781 on Charter in Grand Rapids, and channels 236 and 1004 on Comcast in Grand Rapids. To find THIS-TV for your area, click here and then change your location. The Daily Mail will air at 2:00 p.m. and Crime Watch Daily airs at 3:00 p.m.

FOX 17 News airs at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, but for only 30 minutes before Fox Sports coverage of the U.S. Open begins. We’ll air news updates on the FOX 17 Facebook page at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. for about 10 minutes. Regular Fox programming resumes at 8:00 p.m. with The Four and then FOX 17 News at 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. air as regularly scheduled.

Friday is another day of sports, with FIFA World Cup Live starting at 10:00 a.m., followed by Morocco vs. Iran at 11:00 a.m. and Portugal vs. Spain at 2:00 p.m. FOX 17 News Midday at 11:00 a.m. will air again on THIS TV. Then, the U.S. Open airs from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., with live FOX 17 News updates again on Facebook at 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. FOX 17 News at 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. air as regularly scheduled.

Saturday, things get started early with the FIFA World Cup Live show starting at 8:00 a.m., ending the FOX 17 Morning News an hour early. Argentina takes on Iceland starting at 9:00 a.m. The U.S. Open golf gets going at 11:00 a.m. and runs through the day until 7:30 p.m. when Fox switches over to their Major League Baseball Game of the Week, the Chicago Cubs vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at 8:00 p.m. Whatever time is left after baseball, FOX 17 News will air until Midnight.

Sunday, soccer gets started even earlier with FIFA World Cup Live starting at 7:00 a.m., ending FOX 17 Morning News early. Costa Rica takes on Serbia at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Open golf then starts at 10:00 a.m. and runs until about 7:00 p.m. before Fox primetime.

The airing of Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrews in Grand Rapids will be pre-empted for the next few weeks for World Cup soccer. It will still air live at 10:00 a.m. on Antenna TV, which is channel 17.2 on your over-the-air antenna. In Grand Rapids, Antenna TV can be found on Comcast on channel 295 or 1192. To find Antenna TV in your area, click here and search your zip code.